chapman



June 20, 1950 s, CHAPMAN 2,511,903

SAFETY CATCH FOR FOUNTAIN PENS AND PENCILS Filed June 14, 1946 I N VEN TOR. Z919 af/opwn/x @iwww,

Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY CATCH FOR FOUNTAIN PEN S AND PENCILS 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to fountain pens and pencils and is more particularly concerned with a safety catch for same.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a safety catch which will readily engage the cloth adjacent a clothes pocket and prevent loss of a pen or pencil accidentally or by unauthorized removal thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which can be built in when the pen or pencil is manufactured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety catch with means for readily releasing same when it is desirable to use the pen or pencil.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a fountain pen with the improved safety catch, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the top of the pen showing the safety catch in operative position thereon.

Like numerals, as used in the description and drawings, designate the same parts of construction.

In is the barrel of a conventional type of fountain pen and II the specially devised cap thereof. For the purposes of the invention the cap is tubular with the upper end threaded interiorly for a suitable distance to receive a plug l2. This plug has a central bore l3 designed to contain a reciprocable push-button II with a suitable outer extremity which is normally exposed.

Plug I2 is provided with an annular shoulder l5 to abut the rim of the cap and an annular enlargement I6 of the bore adjacent the upper opening of the plug. Said enlargement is designed to produce a flange H on the said upper opening.

Surrounding plug 14 and normally impinging the flange I1 is an annular flange l8. Secured to same and reciprocably mounted in a perpendicular, round aperture [9 in plug 12, is an elongated spring wire pin 20 which depends in proximity to an upwardly inclined aperture 2| in the side wall of the cap where it is provided with a barb 22 projecting at an acute angle through said aperture. The barb protrudes sufficiently to engage the material of a coat pocket when the pen is inserted.

The clasp 23 with bulbous end 24 is secured to plug l2 and positioned contiguous to said aperture 2| so as to shield the barb but not contact it, thus not interfering with the engagement of spur and pocket.

The bottom of bore I3 is closed preferably by a fixed disc 25 which serves as a seat for an helical spring 26. This spring abuts the lower extremity of the push button I4 and normally retains it in exposed position, as shown in Figure 2.

It will .be understood that the foregoing safety catch can be readily adapted to a pencil by providing same with a similarly constructed cap.

In operation the barb of the spring wire pin will catch in the material when the pen or pencil is placed in a pocket and, as positioned, the barb will resist an upward pull on the cap. To release same the button I4 must be depressed on spring 26, thus forcing pin 20 down and disengaging the barb from the pocket material.

As different embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbe-fore shown and described, it will be understood that the matter herein is to .be interpreted as illustrative merely, and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

The combination with a fountain pen cap or the like including a spring clasp carried thereby to clasp a garment portion against one side of said cap, of a barb projecting radially outwardly of said side of said cap in opposed relation to said clasp whereby the latter is adapted to force said garment portion into positive engagement with said barb and lock said cap to said garment portion, a plunger slidable longitudinally in said cap and rigidly connected to said barb, a spring loading said plunger against longitudinal downward movement in said cap, said cap being formed with an aperture through which said barb projects, said aperture including a cam surface in subjacent relation to said barb, and means for moving said plunger and barb longitudinally downwardly relative to said cap, whereby said cam surface is operative to engage said barb and retract the same radially inwardly out of engagement with said garment portion.

IRA S. CHAPMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,189,639 Tooker et a1 July 4, 1916 1,813,396 Gordon July 7, 1931 2,268,116 Gordon Dec. 30, 1941 2,293,430 Forrest Aug. 18, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 374,874 Italy Sept. 14, 1939 

